Muskegon Lake Walleye

[WDGibby]

Was on the south side of Muskegon Lake this evening with four other fellows. Not much was marked on the three Vexlars. But one nice 29 and half inch walleye was iced. Nice nite out on the ice.

Gibby:)

[tcampbell30]

I am unsure where to fish for wallleye!! I have never caught one through the ice. How deep dp you usually fish? I am under the impression that you fish deep? I am fishing muskegon lake off of 2nd street friday. I sure would like to catch a tasty walleye.

[cmt511]

I fished 2nd street yesterday. About 30fow and didnt even get a bite. Fished it last saturday and cought 2 eyes in the morning around 25ft.

[WDGibby]

TC, don't give up on that second street!! It produces.

Gibby:)

[just tryin to fish]

go deep 33ft or deeper

[J - Rod]

Do they come up shallower at night? Or do they stay deep mid-winter all day/all night?

[just tryin to fish]

im preatty sure they start to move in shallower as it gets darker

[tcampbell30]

I am gonna give 2nd street another try tomorrow to try for my first walleye through the ice!!! If I dont get one I think I will have to buy some at the store :( wish me luck and I will let you know how I do.

[Hamilton Reef]

Gibby,
Were you close enough to see the excitement of the two guys that went through the ice closer to East end of the lake? More on Sat TV 13 WZZM news at 11.

Ice Rescue On Muskegon Lake
Created: 2/5/2005 6:36:11 PM
Updated: 2/5/2005 6:36:25 PM
Two fishermen were rescued Saturday afternoon, after falling through thin ice on Muskegon lake.
Emergency crews were called to the scene at about 5:00pm.
The two people were pulled from the lake and sent to the hospital.
Authorities are now ordering all fishermen to stay off the east end of Muskegon Lake because the ice is unstable

[schaaed1]

Gibby,
Were you close enough to see the excitement of the two guys that went through the ice closer to East end of the lake? More on Sat TV 13 WZZM news at 11.

Ice Rescue On Muskegon Lake
Created: 2/5/2005 6:36:11 PM
Updated: 2/5/2005 6:36:25 PM
Two fishermen were rescued Saturday afternoon, after falling through thin ice on Muskegon lake.
Emergency crews were called to the scene at about 5:00pm.
The two people were pulled from the lake and sent to the hospital.
Authorities are now ordering all fishermen to stay off the east end of Muskegon Lake because the ice is unstable

H.R. - Gibby and I left about 3:00. Some of the other guys from the outing might have still been there. Funny thing, a few of us were talking about the fact that a couple of those shantys looked close to the river mouth.

Ed

[WDGibby]

HR, I would not have wanted to be where those shanties were at. I get a little extra excited when I am at 2nd street anyway. Glad it turned out alright for those fellows. Our group had thinned out and some where packing up before then. I took a life cushion along today, never know when you might need to tose it or use it yourself.

Gibby:)

[Hamilton Reef]

Gibby, I was going to come down to see you today, but I got a call from the Muskegon Conservation District to survey some erosion sites up on the White River at Hilt's Landing. When done with that I ended up walking on the ice behind my house cleaning out wood duck boxes. I'll catch up with you on Feb19.

[Hamilton Reef]

Four men survive fall through lake ice

http://www.mlive.com/news/muchronicle/index.ssf?/base/news-6/110768854960450.xml

NORTHMUSKEGON -- Four men who fell through patchy Muskegon Lake Saturday while ice fishing were rescued by firefighters after one victim used his cell phone to call for help.
Keith Forward, 51, of Muskegon, Al DeYoung, 56, of Spring Lake and Frank Ruffilo, 45, of Alto were rescued by North Muskegon firefighters.

Firefighters used a hover craft to reach the men and bring them safely to a launch area in the 1800 block of Lake in North Muskegon. The men were fishing about 300 feet from shore on the east end of the lake, fire officials said.

Three of the men were transported by Pro Med to Mercy General Health Partners Sherman Campus for treatment.

A fourth fisherman managed to get himself out of the cold water and walk back to shore on his own, said North Muskegon Fire Chief Steve Lague. His name and age was not immediately known late Saturday night, but Lague said he is believed to be a son of one of the other victims.

Numerous calls made to the hospital's spokesperson Saturday in an attempt to determine the conditions of the other three victims were not returned. Emergency room officials at the hospital said the men were being treated, but could not release their conditions.

Fire officials estimated about 200 people were ice fishing on Muskegon Lake Saturday.

The boat launch off Second Street was full of cars throughout the day, Lague said.

Lague said the four men that fell through the ice were "fishing in the same area" at the east end of the lake, but he could not determine which fisherman had fallen in first.

"I don't know the order. But I know one went in and the other went in to rescue that one and then they all went in. It was kind of a chain reaction," Lague said. "It was very quick; just bang! bang! bang!"

Lague estimated the fishermen were in the water for about 15 minutes and when firefighters reached them they were "all alert and ... one was semi-conscious."

"They were all very, very cold. They had some hypothermia conditions," he said.

Firefighters from North Muskegon, Muskegon Township and Muskegon fire departments responded to the call that came in around 5:15 p.m. Both Muskegon and North Muskegon fire departments used hover crafts.

Firefighters alerted others ice fishing on the lake after the incident of the risky conditions, Lague said.

"The conditions were so bad that the rescuers going out did fall through the ice themselves," he said.

Lague said he wasn't certain whether all four men were in the "same fishing party," but one of the men who fell in did use his cell phone to call for help.

"It's a key point of communication out there. That certainly helps. There was a guy with an orange jacket on too, and that helps," Lague said.

Lague recommends those ice fishing bring a rescue rope and ice picks with them as well.

He said the location where the men fell in has been a high-risk ice fishing area for years.

"The east end of the Muskegon Lake is dangerously unsafe. We highly, highly recommend not to go east of the North Muskegon water tower (to ice fish)," Lague said.

The water is generally about 15 to 20 feet deep in that area, Lague said.

"You can't see bottom. It's over your head," he said.

Lague said not only does the warmer weather pose a problem for those ice fishing, but the "hot water discharge" from the B.C. Cobb plant and the currents from the Muskegon River tend to "deteriorate the ice."

"Eighty percent of our ice rescues are in that area every year. It's inherently dangerous," Lague said.

[WDGibby]

HR, sorry you got called off to do some work. Would have been nice to touch base before White Lake outing. Thinking of hitting White Lake end of White lake Dr. In the AM. Not sure if I want to chance the four wheeler or not. Would perfer it to be freezing at least durning the nights.

Gibby:)

[byronbaitskimmer]

Hello,

It sounds like you guys fish muskegon lake alot.
Where do you find the perch or gills?

[thedude]

gills were hitting on the north side by st. park.
5 fow. lots of little ones, but enough eaters to get by. saw a couple nice perch iced, but not many.

[tcampbell30]

Well I saw my first walleye caught through the ice off of 2nd street sunday!!! I didnt catch it though. It was on a tip-up. But I did pull a 30" pike out that day. Oh well

[WDGibby]

Bryon, I don't fish Muskegon lake very often. They fish the gills at Conservation Club,snug harbor for gills and perch, perch at second street, sand docks, mouth bear lake channel, and black boue. If you get to fish the lake, any of the local bait shops can give whats hot and whats not. Hope this helped.

Gibby:)